The movie 'Dancing Queen' will be reborn as a musical.

Global IP powerhouse CJ ENM is joining forces with top-class creators from both domestic and international backgrounds to produce an original musical aimed at global expansion. Since starting its performance business in 2003, CJ ENM has introduced a variety of works in Korea, including original musicals such as , , and , as well as licensed musicals like <42nd Street>, , and in some of the world's major stages, such as Broadway, the West End, and others in the U.S., U.K., and countries like Australia, Japan, and Germany.

CJ ENM is the first Korean corporation to have won Tony Awards and has participated in the judging of the Tony Awards through its full membership in the Broadway League. This musical 'Dancing Queen (tentative title)' is attracting attention as capable creators from both domestic and foreign backgrounds are collaborating based on CJ ENM's network and production capabilities. With Broadway's renowned director Jerry Mitchell leading the team, composer Helen Park, writer Cho Min-hyung, and music director Won Mi-sol have joined in, making it expected to be the first signal fire of CJ ENM's original IP global creation musical that garners attention both locally and globally.

The direction of the musical 'Dancing Queen' will be handled by Jerry Mitchell, a Broadway director and choreographer who has presented iconic musicals on major stages around the world, including the six-time Tony Award-winning , , and , over approximately 40 years. The music will feature Helen Park, a New York-based composer of Korean descent, who is gaining international recognition as a promising composer and was the first Asian female nominated for the Tony Award for Best Score for the musical 'KPOP'. The script will be penned by writer Cho Min-hyung, known for his warm and cheerful sensibility in Korean original musicals such as , , and .

The movie 'Dancing Queen', which was first introduced in Korea in 2012, tells the story of Jeong-hwa (played by Uhm Jung-hwa), who was active as a 'Shinchon Madonna', escaping the constraints of family and society by chance and dreaming again. This work, which humorously depicts her dual life as a wife of a husband (played by Hwang Jung-min), who is running for mayor, and leader of the Dancing Queens, received favorable reviews and was a box office success. The musical 'Dancing Queen' is expected to depict the stories of those who have started dreaming again based on the original theme that 'dreams do not have an expiration date'. In particular, it is anticipated to provide courage and hope to those who have forgotten their dreams through its message that transcends eras, cultural boundaries, genders, and ages.

CJ ENM's Division Head of Performance Business, Ye Ju-yeol, noted, "As we have been leading the diversity of Korean musicals and have knocked on the door of the musical mainstream early on, we will continuously present original works that can hold competitiveness not only in Korea but also on the world stage by utilizing our various IPs," and expressed that "the musical 'Dancing Queen' will be the first step toward genuine global expansion in the musical business." Director Jerry Mitchell of the musical 'Dancing Queen' mentioned, "The thematic consciousness that 'dreams do not have an expiration date' is a material that anyone can relate to, and I believe it is a work that possesses the potential to resonate deeply not only with Korean audiences but also with audiences around the world."

The first original IP global creation musical 'Dancing Queen (tentative title)' by CJ ENM, which has continuously planned development for transmedia through the selection of over 400 rich in-house IPs including movies and dramas, aims to complete its script and music by 2026 and conduct workshops with the goal of premiering in Korea in 2027.

Meanwhile, CJ ENM exported the musical , considered the starting point of the Korean Wave musicals, simultaneously to China and Japan as the first small theater original musical. Additionally, they played a role as a gate connecting Korea, China, and Japan for revitalizing overseas markets. Furthermore, from 2020 to 2024, they took charge of the domestic production of the musical , which has won six Tony Awards and contributed to widening the interface between the work and audiences. Moreover, they have consistently participated as a co-producer for productions on Broadway and the West End, solidifying their position as a global content platform.

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